Russian retailer Lenta has joined the buying group EMD SPAR UK has announced a renewed recruitment drive

Finland: Brand new K-Supermarket Hertta is here!Kesko, one of the leading retailers in Finland has completely renovated and expanded K-Supermarket Hertta in Helsinki and the new Hertta opened its doors on 16th of November. During the renovation, the Supermarket expanded by 2000 square meters which gave the opportunity to improve on customer services as well as to enhance the selection of groceries including the trendy vegetarian category. Hertta has a brand new 4-storey car park which aligns perfectly with the owner’s environmental commitment: the car park features EV charging stations and before the end of 2017 more than 100 places for park&ride customers who can utilize a neighboring metro to reach downtown destinations. (parking-net.com)

South Korea: Lotte Mart's plans for China may have changedOn October 31, based on Yonhap News Agency information, HWW reported that Lotte Mart has selected Goldman Sachs as the sales company in charge. 112 are ready to be opened. However, South Korean professional circles point out that Lotte Mart already held negotiations with 5-10 companies, but nothing came out of it. Some even say, Lotte Mart's plans for China might have been cancelled. Lotte representatives answer: "The plans remain unchanged, we are carrying on forward." (HWW)

UK: Morrisons to sell 'wonky' pomegranates to meet rising demandUK supermarket Morrisons is to be the first to sell misshapen or “wonky” pomegranates, in order to keep prices down in the face of surging demand from consumers. Packs of four will be sold in Morrisons for £1.20 – equivalent to 30p per fruit – when the average price of a pomegranate in UK supermarkets is 74p. Demand for the exotic fruit has increased as a result of discussion of its health benefits, the UK’s fourth largest supermarket said. Pomegranates contain antioxidants and vitamins and are a rich source of dietary fibre. Celebrity chefs such as Yotam Ottolenghi and Jamie Oliver have fuelled a craze for adding pomegranate seeds to salads, meat dishes and desserts. Pomegranates also now feature on the high street in everything from salads to fresh fruit pots. (theguardian.com)

Russia’s Lenta joins EMD buying groupAccording to an EMD statement, as a member of the group, Lenta will have ‘valuable resources in transnational goods procurement at its disposal. Additionally, it will be possible to obtain marketing-synergies and new options for the European brand and private label activities.’ “We are pleased to join EMD as its exclusive Russian member," said Lenta chief executive Jan Dunning. "Above all, our membership of the alliance will enable us to enhance the breadth of our private label range through effective procurement of value-for-money products from international producers. In addition, our purchasing activities within EMD may potentially open an extra sales channel for Russian suppliers of Lenta’s private label products to access the European market.” (esmmagazine.com)

SPAR UK boosts focus on recruitment amid sector changeSPAR UK has announced a renewed recruitment drive. Flagging its recent growth and ongoing stability it aims to attract independent retailers seeking enhanced support to face the challenges of a changing competitive environment. Revealing figures on a sixth consecutive year of growth, SPAR UK has reported that store numbers are already up 5% in 2017, driving increases both in wholesale sales to its member retailers and in retail sales to shoppers. (igd)

US: Lidl moves off twice-weekly fresh promotionsLidl, which invaded the U.S. in June behind a promise to “rethink grocery,” is already rethinking some of its own practices. In a signal that the young chain could be adjusting its model to better suit U.S. tastes, Lidl US has made a change to its promotional strategy, dropping its twice-per-week “Fresh 5” deals on deeply discounted fresh food and replacing them with a plan that promotes at least six fresh items for an entire week. The new program is rechristened “Fresh Deals”. The chain’s non-food specials, called Lidl Surprises, still rotate twice a week but now on Thursdays and Sundays, vs. Thursday and Monday previously. (groceryheadquarters.com)

US: Door to Door Organics shuts downDoor to Door Organics abruptly ceased operations on Friday. According to a statement by the company, the timing of recent events in the industry, and the impact they had on funding prospects led to the sudden closure. As recently as late September of this year, the company continued to add new elements to its playbook with the addition of a meal planning solution that provides recipes and simplified meal planning.The service was available in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C., and was expected to be rolled out to the rest of the company’s delivery footprint in October. (groceryheadquarters.com)

CA: Nations Fresh Foods opens “foodertainment” store in TorontoThe marriage of food and entertainment takes centre stage at Nations Fresh Foods’ first Toronto store, which celebrated its grand opening. This is the grocer’s fourth store in the province and by far its largest. The additional space at the Toronto flagship location accommodates a state-of-the-art arcade, party rooms and an indoor playground, and helps bring the grocer’s ‘foodertainment’ vision to life. The in-store experience is becoming increasingly important as the popularity of online grocery continues to grow, which is one of the reasons Nations is taking this family-friendly, interactive approach with its new Toronto location, said Frank Ho, Nations’ senior vice-president. (canadiangrocer.com)